Alleged identity theft leads to arrest in Fort Lee

FORT LEE — A month-long investigation into alleged identity theft and forgery in the borough led to the naming of two Fort Lee men who collectively allegedly stole more than $100,000 from Wells Fargo banks using fraudulent credit cards.

Khalid Sumbry, 32, was in police custody as of Aug. 18 while Shuron Reed, 21, remains at large.

Fraud detectives T.J. Cullen and Cory Horton began their investigation on July 10, shortly after a rental car obtained with alleged fraudulent credit cards was recovered from a parking garage at 2050 Central Road.

The officers linked Reed to more than 40 alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals made from Wells Fargo branches throughout New Jersey and Connecticut. Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations in Newark and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program in West Paterson came on board to assist with the investigation.

On July 29, Fort Lee police and federal authorities executed a search warrant at an apartment in the Twenty50 luxury complex where the two men reside. Inside, detectives and agents allegedly found fraudulent driver's licenses, credit cards and blank checks that were allegedly used in the thefts.

They also allegedly recovered a Jimenez Arms .380 caliber handgun with a defaced serial number.

Police traced Sumbry to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was arrested as a fugitive from justice in early August.

He allegedly had 15 fraudulent driver's licenses made in the names of Wells Fargo customers from various states on him at the time, all containing his photo. Police also recovered 20 fraudulent credit cards matching the fake licenses.

Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Reed, who is wanted on charges of possessing a defaced handgun, identity theft, credit card theft and possession of forgery devices.

Sumbry was transported to the Fort Lee Police Department on Aug. 13 after waiving extradition at a hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court.

He is facing 39 counts of theft by deception, 40 counts of forgery, two counts of trafficking in the identities of others, three counts of credit card theft and fraud, two counts of identity theft and a charge of possession of forgery devices and is being held at Bergen County Jail on $750,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

Police Chief Keith Bendul reminded residents to keep an eye on their credit card statements, bank accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity at all times.

"If unauthorized transactions are observed, please contact your local police department and report them. Also notify your bank branch, credit card company and credit agencies of any fraudulent activity," he said in a statement.